Method of making molds



y 1947- e. P. sesomwom'u-n 9 9 METHOD OF MAKING HOLDS Original Filw Sapt. 21 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rum- TEMPERATURE IN DEGREES WNW NE 'NE 71 e pr ie m leh o .n n ncheie-w sfihireq i fi Y Q Q I -WM I as vLe the t- P 5 t t-wh t Patented July 29, 1947 c e fl lf azeaief fIM THOIjbF 1 1'. Ge'oi'ge P. Bosoinwor'thiziikron, Ohio, z ass ghorg to TheFirestoneafliree8a Rubber Qompgny Akron;

copending application, Serial! No. i 357,709,, filed 5 i f: I} 3-1": t Molds of the'gcharacter mentionedcomprise :upper and :lower mold sections which ere steam jacketed,and ringzinserts removabiymounted in the respective mpide sections, which if serts corre- 10 i spend to ,theparticulartire size anq are suitably engraved to impart the desired 'egzterneiconflguration to .1 tires molded and; vulcanized; therein.

Thus by means of inter changeable inserts a sin- ."gle,mold,may be--utiiized for the manufacture. of 15.

a numbenoil difierent the sizes ar d designs. Q Eachinser-t nests in its respective mold section,

arid e n onting=su x of iriseit end moid section heretofore havegequired to he mechined w h x em accu acyrie sll nicert: iv cause of the irregular contour of; th coniron'ting V faces of theinsertand mold. section,

We -e1 thouseudths the mold s,

was subjected during use fte'q i warping of the moldsectior or' ihse tfs ch as'to preg me gaps between-their committing faces. I

\ Invthe vulcanizing of a, ti're casingfin eninsert mold of the cherecter mentionedunder licieai condition s, steam is circulated through theijecke ts of the respective ifioldsec'tiohs; heat fron the steam being". trahsferredito 1 ti ig e ei zterior of the tire through. a pathncon'sisting, of the jacket mu and the wal l ofjtheinsertg. Thepresence of steam v scalein. the mold jacket somewhat impai'rsthe condumga n'cevoi heat,iiut withthisffeature of t he ,p roblem thisinventionl is hotl con'cerriedg The ,presence of an air gapebetweeri thei moid section 40 and insert also exerts a, ret ;a, rding[effect j 'ipim heattranSfC ItO the tire in, direct prof t ion to t'hewidth or said gap; mus transferfe'dje'cross the ,air gap vby radiatiorll" end ,by "conduction vdupe prieiuueticl t ,mold sections; 1 Y m -11 mm tri .tion of a tire mold:e dyinggthe iiiveriti a tire casing and expensiblecqre c Figure 2 is a similar section, on

h io ity wi th tdes xi w i ht al mmp rienq he -sh m "i-tdsu tl r tfifi exa niple, that in ,cases where the total thickh'ess of metal (iron) l traversed by the g heat is 11inch; U, i -end without settle, a ,010" gapjinthe metelreciuces' =the'j conductance, to about. jot thje. 1 convflyctance pt solid metei Thusthedesirability'of 6&1 w et els p t-he we fm e n 'd e tio syiilbe appare tjthei gespecieHy.(iesirable eat the me W OI 0147 9; 1 1 15 lfi the thick rubbertread portion of 'e tir e absorbs moreiheat r-wt dut e the i eem due-r I to; M if nnitfl their respeotive stru ure making eni m rov fi a e-infinite t ne er m l havv n ieat i y 1 conductingmateriaLcompieteW1 m tween the confrontingjeces t mold s t on pthertobi qts the description proceeds 0f thera ccompanying drewiugsz Figure 1 1s a ransile sese iomt W 8i} of a conventional steam ja lcigeted I l e" Figure} is section; simil oj igi Referring to Figur shown a-mold comprisip fgsgtnd :iower jacketed; m

rt t

- tions.

and 50% tin has been found to be suitable for the purpose, said alloy having a melting point of 329 F.

In the manufacture of molds of the character described the metal I8 is prepared in the form of a thin sheet or foil which may be .010" thickness, and if desired, annular pieces of sumcient size to cover the confronting faces of the mold sections may be cut therefrom. Then while the mold insert is removed from a mold section, the annular piece of foil is positioned over the cavity of the mold. Thereafter the insert of the mold section is installed therein and forced into place by the setting up of the set screws l4, the foil interposed between the mold section and insert being thereby deformed into conformity with the confronting surfaces of mold section and insert. After both sections of the mold have been prepared as described, the mold is closed and the sections thereof forced tightly together, and concurrently steam at a temperature of approximately 340 F. is circulated through the steam jackets of the mold sections. This results in the fusing or melting of the alloy foil, the pressure of the inserts in the direction of their companion mold sections causing the melted alloy to flow and thus completely to fill the narrow gaps orair spaces between the inserts and mold sections with a thin film of metal. Some of the alloy may flow into the space about the set screws I4 as shown, but this is not objectionable. Thereafter, the circulation of the steam is discontinued, and as the mold cools the alloy solidifies. After the mold is opened, any surplus or overflow alloy may be trimmed from the mold sections by means of a knife. The set screws I4 are then turned if possible to assure their tightness, after which the mold is ready for use in the vulcanization of tires.

The fusing of the alloy does not cause it to unite with the metal of the inserts and mold sec- The alloy does not fuse during use of the mold for vulcanizing tires since the steam employed normally for vulcanization doe not exceed 300 F. Thus the alloy remains in place as long as the mold sections and inserts remain in assembled relation. If it is desired to replace the inserts l2, II with inserts of different cavity size or engraving, said inserts may be removed in the usual manner after removal of the set screws M. The alloy strata 18 then readily may be stripped from the mold parts to which they are lightly adhered. The procedure described is repeated in the mounting of other inserts in the mold sections. The alloy stripped from the mold may be used again after being melted and re-sheeted.

The comparative value of the alloy l8, used as shown and described, as a means for improving the thermal conductivity of insert molds for rubber tires, is graphically shown in Figure 5. Comparison is made with the conventional steam jacketed tire mold without inserts, such as is shown in Figure 2, and an ordinary steam jacketed insert mold for tires, as shown in Figure 3, wherein there are gaps or air spaces between the inserts and the mold section. The relative extent and width of such gaps is exaggerated in the drawing to provide clearness of illustration. The improved mold of this invention is shown in Figure 4. For the preparation of the data set forth in Figure 5, thermo-couples were mounted at identical points in each of the molds shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, between the tires therein and the surface of the molding cavities, said points being located at the shoulder of the tire tread therein, at the sidewall of the tire, and

4 at the bead of the tire. In Figure 2 said points are designated A B, and C respectively. In Figure 3 thesame points are designated A, B, and

C, and in Figure 4 they are designated A", B", and C". The tires were then subjected to pressure. and to vulcanizing temperature through the agency of the mold steam jackets, and expansible cores, inthe usual manner and for the usual duration of time, identical treatment being given each mold. The temperatures recorded by the thermo-couples of the three molds are integrated and presented in graphic form in Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a composite graph and shows the development of temperature at the several points on the tires. Thus the upper graph shows the comparative temperatures at the shoulders of the tires, the intermediate graph shows the comparative temperatures atthe sidewallsof the tires, and the lower graph shows the comparative temperatures at the beads of the tires. The temperature of the steam in the steam jackets of Y the molds is 298-300 F., and this will produce a temperature of 292 F. at the surface of the tires in said molds, this being the optimum vulcanizing temperature. Since time and temperature are factors in effecting vulcanization of rubber, it follows that the sooner the rubber is subjected to optimum vulcanizing temperature, the sooner vulcanization will be completed. The graphs of Figure 5 clearly show that optimum vulcanizing temperature in all parts of a tire is first reached in molds without inserts. of the type shown in Figure 2. Closely approaching the results of the mold of Figure 2 is the improved mold of this invention shown in Figure 4. In the mold shown in Figure 3 there is considerable time lag in all regions thereof before the tire attains optimum vulcanizing temperature.

The foregoing data clearly show that the mold used to illustrate the invention is superior in thermal conductivity as compared to ordinary insert molds. and only slightly inferior to conventional tire molds without inserts. Such inferiority, however, is more than compensated for by the several other advantages inherent in tire molds of the insert type.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of making sectional molds for vulcanizing rubber products, said method comprising positioning thin foil of a low melting point metal alloy in the space between the confronting surfaces of a steam jacketed mold section formed with a recess and a molding insert mountable therein, said melting point being higher than the highest temperature required to vulcanize rubber, pressing the insert into said recess against said foilthereby shaping said interposed metal foil roughly into conformity with the space between the insert and mold section, and then circulating steam, of higher temperature than normally required for vulcanization, through the steam jacket of the mold section while continuing to urge the insert into its recess. whereby the foil area sufllcient to cover a said confronting face. placing said piece over each said face of said mold before said inserts are associated therewith, positioning said inserts relative to said mold with said pieces interpositioned between said confronting faces preparatory to forcing said inserts into their final associated position relative to said mold, concurrently closing said mold and circu" lating steam therethrough at a temperature sufficient to fuse said foil and with pressure sumcient to cause said foil to flow, thereby causing the melted foil to flow and completely occupy the space between said confronting spaces, the fusing point of said foil being at a temperature higher than the maximum temperature required to vulcanize rubber, permitting said mold to cool and removably uniting said mold and inserts by suitable attachment means.

3. The method of making sectional molds of the class described comprising positioning sheet metal alloy having a low melting point, but higher than the maximum temperature required for vulcanizing tires, between the confronting surfaces of the mold sections and the mold inserts, simultaneously fusing said alloy by circulating steam at higher temperature than is required for vulcanization of tires in said molds, and urging said inserts by mold attachment means into said recesses against the fused alloy with sufiicient pressure to cause the alloy to flow a and completely to fill the spaces between said inserts and mold sections, and then solidifying the fused alloy by cooling, whereby air gaps between the inserts and the mold sections are avoided.

4. The method of eliminating the narrow air gaps which exist between the confronting surfaces of the inserts and their companion tire mold sections of a jacket mold of the class described comprising the steps of placing thin sheets of low melting metal foil, said foil having a melting bolts thus forcing said sheets into said cavities and causing the sheets to roughly conform to the shape of the narrow spaces between said sections and inserts, closing said mold with said inserts being pressed firmly against said foil, circulating steam through the steam circulation system of said jacket mold, said steam being at a temperature sufllcient to fuse said foil, said pressure said inserts and foil being maintained while said foil is in a fused state, whereby the foil con. forms to and completely fills said space, lowering the temperature of the mold suficiently to solidify said foil, and next trimming away any excess over-flowage of the foil and tightening the at taching bolts to insure a tight fit or the inserts to their mold sections.

GEORGE I. EOEQMWQR'EPHL REFERENQES @lITiElDl The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,615,471 Mldgley Jan. 25, 1927 1,550,157 Gillette 1- Aug. M25 1,550,153 Emmet et al Aug. iii, 1,615,474 Midgley Jan. 25,, 1927 1,625,697 Baker Apr. 19, 1927 FOREIGN PAS Number Country Date 178,205 Great Britain 3.822

26,573 Australia -1. 

